The present invention relates to a cleaning fixture for cleaning a sail track on a mast or other spar of a sailboat.
A sailboat mast, as well as other sail-supporting spars on a sailboat, is fitted with a longitudinal track in one form or another that extends the length of the mast. Sails usually have connector fixtures, such as slides, slugs, or cars, attached to the edge of the sails that interconnect the sails with the track and permit the sails to slide along the edges of the track.
A problem encountered with most sailboats is that the tracks, over a period of time, become dirty and clogged. This impairs the free movement of the sail connector on the track and makes it more difficult to raise and lower the sail. This is especially a problem in lowering a sail, wherein sails are generally lowered from a mast by means of gravity. Where the track is so clogged that the cars or connectors stick on the mast, it becomes difficult to lower the sail.
The upper portion of the track on a sailboat mast is difficult to access. There are devices that are designed to travel along the track in order to spray a lubricant on the track. However, lubricants tend to attract more grime and dirt and sometimes increase problems with track clogging. When a track is clogged in a larger sailboat, a person has to climb the mast in order to clean the track. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved sailboat track cleaner that is adjustable for different conditions and can be raised or lowered from the deck using conventional sailboat lines.
The present invention comprises a sailboat spar track cleaner for cleaning a sail track on a mast or other spar comprising a U-shaped housing that fits over the track, with adjustable track cleaners extending inwardly from the sides of the housing into contact with the track. An adjustable wheel attached to a back of the U-shaped housing bears against the track and controls the position of the housing so that the track cleaning elements are properly aligned with grooves in the track. The track cleaner is mountable on a track in a sailboat and movable along the length of the track using conventional lines, such as the halyard and a downhaul in the case of a mast.
The track cleaner elements can take different form is, depending upon the particular style and configuration of the track being cleaned. An abrasive pad can be used as the track cleaning material, so that grime is removed by abrasion and polishing the track instead of by depositing additional grime-collecting liquid on the track surface.
These and other features of the present invention are described below and shown in the appended drawings.